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Vise / Anvil

Old Hippie

Somewhere between 61 and dead
I've been hauling a foot and a half chunk of 90-pound rail around for...jeez...almost 50 years. I still remember stubbing my bare toes on that thing once back in 1980. I also have a smaller piece of lighter rail. My vise is a light little vise that my Dad had. I have a slightly heavier one I picked up along the way and restored, but I haven't been motivated to bolt it down yet.

When I really want to whang on something, it's time to get out the 3-pound Clamor Hammer and that chunk of rail and make some noise! (Which I realize would pretty much put paid to a straight razor. I am also capable of subtlety.)

O.H.
 

Ravenonrock

I shaved the pig
Might just have to do some more walks along a few stretches of track here with more intent. I like the looks of those rail pieces.
 
Where do you guys get rail? The boys are putting in a new stretch of 132lb rail at the train station I take to work daily. Maybe I can sweettalk them into sawing off a chunk for me.
132 lb rail is pretty sweet.
Mine is 100lb ARA-A rail, top rail is 2 3/4 wide at the widest point.
I just searched local ads and one came up near me.
Mine is just under 10 inches long, 6" tall with a 14" radius for a top.
I doubt you would find any pieces along a track except for new pieces waiting to be installed.
Taking any might get you into trouble.
Just searched 132lb rail and the top surface has a radius of 8" so fairly curved.
112lb would be ideal - 24"Radius

 
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132 lb rail is pretty sweet.
Mine is 100lb ARA-A rail, top rail is 2 3/4 wide at the widest point.
I just searched local ads and one came up near me.
Mine is just under 10 inches long, 6" tall
I doubt you would find any pieces along a track except for new pieces waiting to be installed.
Taking any might get you into trouble.
Well, the old stuff is going somewhere. I'm friends with the BNSF crew that runs the train, but unfortunately this section of track is owned by the local transit authority, so they hired some other outfit to refurb the the steel. If it was BNSF they'd probably give me as much as I could carry.
 
I've never done anything to a SR. Here's some general advise.

Just a warning. Most of the smaller, cheap, Chinese vises are cast iron and will not take much abuse. I do have a 4 inch vise, but it's not mounted to my bench. Instead I mounted it to a 2x6 scrap. I can then use the bit of wood that extends to the front and back of the vise to clamp the vise to my benchtop. I keep on the bottom shelf when not in use.

I have a small but thick piece of steel plate that I sometimes use for light pounding. I just set it over the leg of my workbench leg so the plate has a firm backing. I have been known to use my 3 pound sledge hammer as an anvil as well, but that's probably a bad practice.
 

Legion

Staff member
Well, the old stuff is going somewhere. I'm friends with the BNSF crew that runs the train, but unfortunately this section of track is owned by the local transit authority, so they hired some other outfit to refurb the the steel. If it was BNSF they'd probably give me as much as I could carry.
I’m not sure how it works where you are, but in most cases companies would put in bids to take it for the scrap value. They have big machines that pick up the rail line in the full length and put it on a truck or train to take away. Even if they were prepared to cut you off a chunk, they probably wouldn’t have the tools to do it in the field.

Your best bet might be to ask at big scrap yards.
 
I’m not sure how it works where you are, but in most cases companies would put in bids to take it for the scrap value. They have big machines that pick up the rail line in the full length and put it on a truck or train to take away. Even if they were prepared to cut you off a chunk, they probably wouldn’t have the tools to do it in the field.

Your best bet might be to ask at big scrap yards.
They were sawing the new rail to size prior to thermite welding it. The question wasn't if they could as much as if they would.
 
Treat them to a case!

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I vot mine on ebay. The cost was worth all the effort and time i would have spent finding and cutting my own. Plus i was affraid off what the cut would look like if i did it myself.

Nice job on the piece of track.
 

Legion

Staff member
Now not saying this is your fault but I awoke this morning with a need for a piece of railway track for an anvil:)
A quick search found one in a town close by this morning so off I went.
Spent about 1.5 hours making it nice. I always wanted a nice anvil but can't justify it in a woodworking shop.
Track is the way to go. Carbon steel - not cast like a cheapie.
Close to 30lbs, I think it scratched the itch, thank you.


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Nice. You might want to give the top a coat of Ren Wax or something. They rust like all get-out if you leave the polished surface uncoated.
 
Nice. You might want to give the top a coat of Ren Wax or something. They rust like all get-out if you leave the polished surface uncoated.

Its pretty dry in the shop but I will keep an eye on it.
From what I have read they are mostly 1084 (same as most files)
I have some T9 that works great for long term on metal so I will probably give it a coat this morning just in case, Thanks.
 
A lot of time and hacksaw blades �😁

I would dig that out and take it to a welding shop where they have a metal bandsaw. It would take less than 5 minutes to cut and be a nice cut as well.
Leaving it in I would get a sawzall blade for cast iron or carbide.

You might be able to attack it from each side with an angle grinder

I went with attacking it from six distinct angles with my cheap 4 1/2" angle grinder. I wore three 40 grit cut off disks down to just below the 4" diameter before there was too much interference to cut deeper.

I also used a metal blade in my sawzall to help mark the alignments for my 6 different cuts.

Finally, my bench grinder and my bench sander cleaned it up. Fun project!

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